RFID Privacy Gap?

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RFID Privacy

RFID Privacy 12/29/2003 11:56 PM

RFID News has an excellent analysis of a recent USA Today column on hypothetical nightmarish privacy violations by companies utilizing RFID tags. The gist of the analysis is that USA Today is sensationalizing the concept. Companies, governments, and individuals already have far easier and more effective ways of gathering information about you than RFID can provide.

One example of the "sky is falling" reporting is their scenario of marketers watching what you are interested in:

A department store’s RFID system recognizes that you’re carrying an item you bought there last week. Now it knows who you are. And if there are readers scattered about, it knows where you’re going. Come home to a phone call, "Mr. Kantor, we noticed you were shopping for a television…"

Retailers are smarter than that. They tend to avoid behavior that consumers are going to find creepy. When I worked for a telecomunications company I found that when someone called our call center, the systems automatically looked up the phone number of the incoming call (this was before caller ID was popular or widespread), looked up the corresponding account, and displayed the account details on the operator’s screen.

They had initially experimented with answering the phone, "Thank you for calling us Mr. Johnson. How can we help you today?" Callers understandably found this a little spooky, so the operators began answering the phone as if they had no idea who was on the other end.

If a retailer were to use RFID or any other method of identification to discover who was browsing for what products, they would likely use this information in a way that was much less overt. Email offers sent would magically include deals on products that the consumer was interested in. Direct mail would be targeted with products that a large number of people in a particular zip code had shown interest in.

It’s also important to note that, at this point at least, most companies don’t have their databases integrated to the point that they can target marketing in this method. Retailers spend billions of dollars on products that don’t sell, merchandising that doesn’t work, and marketing that falls flat. Many of these companies have the data that could have prevented these problems but are unable to properly analyze it to extract valuable information.

At least right now, that’s what’s going to prevent wholesale intrusions into our privacy—the inefficiencies and ineptitude of corporate data operations. Companies are already drowing in data. Turning that data into useful information is a lot harder than it sounds.

RFID users say no to privacy law

RFID users say no to privacy law 07/15/2004 07:05 AM
Computer Weekly Jul 15 2004 11:11AM GMT

Needs for Standards, Privacy Top RFID
Concerns

Needs for Standards, Privacy Top RFID
Concerns 09/16/2004 07:01 PM
The technology also must become available at an affordable cost, and RFID doesn't tell officials screening for terrorist activities what's "inside the box."

RFID Leaders Talk Privacy

RFID Leaders Talk Privacy 05/28/2004 02:10 PM

RFID users say no privacy law needed

RFID users say no privacy law needed 07/14/2004 06:36 PM
WASHINGTON - A U.S. law enforcing privacy rules for RFID (radio frequency identification) isn't needed because companies experimenting with the technology are committed to protecting privacy, two such corporations told a U.S. House subcommittee Wednesday.

Privacy advocates ask FTC for RFID
technical review

Privacy advocates ask FTC for RFID
technical review 06/22/2004 05:30 PM
The daylong Federal Trade Commission workshop included panel discussions on current and expected uses of RFID chips and on best practices for using data stored on the chips.

Libraries Trying to Protect Privacy in
RFID Environment

Libraries Trying to Protect Privacy in
RFID Environment 10/30/2003 10:19 AM

Vendors Say RFID Doesn't Compromise Privacy

"In comments to the San Francisco Public Library regarding RFID (radio frequency identification) checkout system, Lee Tien of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) commented, 'a 'mandatory kill' policy is the only measure that would allow RFIDs to be used by the library internally, while giving the public the necessary time to consider whether and to what extent they want RFIDs to proliferate.' RFID vendors, however, say that's what's happening. Scott Hackstadt, director of technology, Vernon Library Supplies, said that the only information on the RFID chip is the barcode number of the item and sorting information: 'We have an on-off bit on the tag. If it's been turned off, it can go through the gate. When it's gone, there's no mechanism for the tag to be read when it's out of the building.' " [Library Journal]

I don't blindly believe these claims because I don't work with RFID and can't test them for myself and, well, they're vendor claims. However, I think it's safe to say that of all of the various organizations implementing RFID, libraries are being the most careful and thoughtful about privacy concerns. Hopefully SFPL will continue releasing specific information to address this issue. Has anyone seen confirmations from other libraries that have implemented RFID systems?

RFID and privacy: Debate heating up in
Washington

RFID and privacy: Debate heating up in
Washington 05/28/2004 03:33 PM
WASHINGTON - Privacy advocates and some lawmakers are pushing a debate over potential privacy abuses from the growing use of radio frequency identification chips as huge retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. move toward large-scale use of the technology.

Privacy concerns surface at CeBIT RFID
debate

Privacy concerns surface at CeBIT RFID
debate 04/09/2004 04:09 PM
Computer Weekly Mar 22 2004 12:12PM GMT

Privacy advocates: RFID technical review
needed

Privacy advocates: RFID technical review
needed 06/22/2004 07:47 AM
WASHINGTON -- Privacy advocates called for the U.S. Federal Trade Commission or other government agencies to initiative a comprehensive assessment of the potential effects of RFID (radio frequency identification) technology, during an FTC workshop on RFID Monday.

RFID policy panel raises privacy
concerns

RFID policy panel raises privacy
concerns 04/06/2005 08:53 PM
Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has many current and future benefits, but U.S. policymakers need to be aware of potential privacy and security problems of the rapidly evolving technology, a privacy advocate and a security expert said Wednesday.

Aplus Flash Technology introduces new
high-performance, low-current RFID
EEPROM IP: Secure and cost-efficient,
Aplus’ RFID EEPROM IP offers RFID chip
designers the first easy drop-in EEPROM
memory solution

Aplus Flash Technology introduces new
high-performance, low-current RFID
EEPROM IP: Secure and cost-efficient,
Aplus’ RFID EEPROM IP offers RFID chip
designers the first easy drop-in EEPROM
memory solution 05/31/2004 02:13 PM
Aplus Flash Technology has introduced a new version of its silicon proven 0.35um 2P3M CMOS based EEPROM IP that is targeted for RFID applications. This embedded memory IP can be used in RFID applications such as contactless smart cards, RFID tags, security and surveillance, and other supply chain tracking purposes. Aplus Flash Technology is a fabless IC design company specializing in non-volatile memory IP and products. [PRWEB May 19, 2004]

EFF Privacy Coalition Presses Congress
for Hearings on Air Traveler Privacy

EFF Privacy Coalition Presses Congress
for Hearings on Air Traveler Privacy 02/17/2004 02:34 PM
Electronic Frontier Foundations Feb 17 2004 6:22PM GMT

Creating a Privacy Policy Compliant with
the New Online Privacy Protection Act

Creating a Privacy Policy Compliant with
the New Online Privacy Protection Act 12/12/2003 07:51 PM
IRMI Dec 12 2003 6:22PM ET

RFID development kits come with
compactFlash RFID readers for pocket PC

RFID development kits come with
compactFlash RFID readers for pocket PC 08/12/2004 06:48 PM
RF Design Aug 12 2004 11:20PM GMT

RFID Labels Test 100% Readable by the
RFID Alliance Lab

RFID Labels Test 100% Readable by the
RFID Alliance Lab 12/17/2004 06:31 PM
Worldlabel.com shipped a roll with 105 pieces of 4” x 6” Xtrack™ RFID Smart Labels to the RFID Alliance Lab for testing. The tags embedded were a Rafsec dipole design with EPC UHF Ucode 1.19 chip. Tests were performed at the University of Kansas under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Deavours, Director of Research at the RFID Alliance Lab and Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas. Dr. Deavours issued the following statement on behalf of the RFID Alliance Lab. “On December 14, the Lab tested all 105 labels with a ThingMagic Mercury 4 reader. The Lab observed that all 105 labels were readable”. [PRWEB Dec 16, 2004]

The International RFID Technology Center
Locates in Frisco, TexasThe IRTC Will
Provide Leadership, Guidance and
Services for the RFID Industry

The International RFID Technology Center
Locates in Frisco, TexasThe IRTC Will
Provide Leadership, Guidance and
Services for the RFID Industry 12/19/2004 03:04 PM
The International RFID Technology Center, Inc. (IRTC) announced today that they have reached an agreement with the Frisco Economic Development Corporation (FEDC) to locate the IRTC’s headquarters in the City of Frisco, Texas, one of the fastest growing cities in the thriving Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) area. This enables the IRTC to take advantage of DFW’s technology talent pool and geographic location as a focal point for activity in the RF (radio frequency) and RFID (radio frequency identification) sectors. [PRWEB Dec 18, 2004]

LNR Wants Privacy

LNR Wants Privacy 08/31/2004 01:58 PM
Cerberus Capital Management's purchase shows the dangers for minority public shareholders.

"Privacy"

"Privacy" 07/02/2004 08:10 AM

One pie, no privacy

One pie, no privacy 04/27/2004 07:18 AM
USA Today Apr 27 2004 11:37AM GMT

The war on privacy, Act II

The war on privacy, Act II 03/16/2003 03:12 AM
You talk to your spouse on the cell phone, and the government eavesdrops and writes down your conversation. In the privacy of your home you Google. ...

Where is RFID going?

Where is RFID going? 05/20/2004 01:11 PM
Privacy advocates are worried that RFID tags will end up being used to companies every growing arsenals of technology to...

RFID::EPC 0.002

RFID::EPC 0.002 07/13/2004 01:46 AM
A Perl interface to EPC tags.

RFID-EPC-0.002

RFID-EPC-0.002 07/08/2004 12:24 AM

Privacy: What CEOs Need to Know

Privacy: What CEOs Need to Know 04/13/2004 01:58 AM
Business Week Apr 13 2004 6:16AM GMT

Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy 12/25/2003 08:07 AM
privacy

help.xanga.com/about/privacypolicy.htm
track this site | 7 links

A question of privacy

A question of privacy 05/25/2004 11:41 PM
Computer Times Asia May 26 2004 4:07AM GMT

A price in privacy

A price in privacy 05/21/2004 07:06 PM
International Herald Tribune,France-10 minutes ago ... That's why Google's new Internet e-mail service is causing such a ruckus. ... The third is Google's easy interface and smart searching capabilities. ...

No privacy in the skies

No privacy in the skies 09/22/2004 02:44 AM
USA Today Sep 22 2004 6:52AM GMT

Privacy erosion

Privacy erosion 01/26/2004 07:33 PM
CNET Asia Jan 26 2004 9:49PM GMT

Privacy in the Woods?

Privacy in the Woods? 05/11/2004 06:01 PM

Defining privacy

Defining privacy 02/01/2005 09:19 PM

tins ::: Rick Klau's weblog

Bonus goofy news item of the week: Paris Hilton’s Blackberry was hacked.

Quoth the source for this bombshell:

“It’s one thing to have people looking at your sex tapes, but having people reading your personal e-mails is a real invasion of privacy.”

Clearly, different people have different definitions for invasion of privacy.

Comment - TrackBack

U.S. passport privacy: Over and out?

U.S. passport privacy: Over and out? 12/25/2004 05:00 PM
finally gains government approval

iht.com/articles/2004/12/22/news/passport.html
track this site | 2 links

Prove you believe in privacy

Prove you believe in privacy 12/10/2003 12:44 PM
vnunet.com Dec 10 2003 12:11PM ET

U.S. May Get a Privacy Czar

U.S. May Get a Privacy Czar 05/21/2004 05:31 AM
Congressional representatives introduce a bill that would require the federal government to create a chief privacy officer position. Every federal department and agency also would get a privacy head. By Kim Zetter.

Cameras, Privacy And The Law

Cameras, Privacy And The Law 02/17/2004 06:31 PM
Found over at Alan Reiter's Camera Phone Report is this story written by a Kansas City Star columnist talking about how everyone's overreacting to the "dangers" of camera phones by worrying about a specific technology, rather than the misuse of that technology. The writer lists a bunch of other devices (including watches and MP3 players) that include cameras, but which no one is calling to ban. However, his overall point is that technology trumps privacy - and on top of that, technology trumps the law. The issue we should be focusing on, according to the article, is making laws that protect privacy, not ones that outlaw technology. Then, if someone is using the technology to violate someone's privacy, you go after them for breaking the privacy law - not the law banning the, otherwise useful, technology. Makes sense. Of course, if you then combine it with another article (found at Smart Mobs), it raises other questions. This is a case where a man with a wireless security camera system realized that he was getting video from a neighbor's security camera instead of his own - and witnessed the neighbor abusing her foster children. He called the police and the woman was quickly arrested, which is clearly a good thing. However, where does the law stand on video like that, which is accidentally intercepted? Is it only a privacy violation if the voyeurism is intentional? Clearly, there are a lot of new legal and privacy issues raised by new technologies - and trying to simply outlaw technology or cram new technologies into old laws isn't going to cut it.

Privacy and XML, Part 2

Privacy and XML, Part 2 05/23/2002 10:39 PM

Weighing the Value of Privacy

Weighing the Value of Privacy 01/28/2004 10:17 AM

Privacy Forum

Privacy Forum 02/13/2004 07:01 AM
Privacy Forum
http://www.vortex.com/privacy/

The PRIVACY Forum includes a moderated e-mail digest (and archive of those digests and related documents) for the discussion and analysis of issues relating to privacy (both personal and collective) in the information age. Topics include telecommunications, information and database collection and sharing, and a wide range of other privacy issues, as pertains to the privacy concerns of individuals, groups, businesses, government, and society at large. The manners in which both the conventional and the controversial concerns of business and government interact with privacy considerations are also topics for digest discussions. There is no charge to receive the digest.
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RFID Privacy Gap?